Receptacle-feeding mechanism



E.. R. LOWEREE, G. F.1ACKS0N AND R.A. GLEASON. HECEPTACLE FEEDINGMECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I4. 1917- RIENEWEDIOCT.7.1919.l

Patented Feb. 10, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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' EDGAR n. LOWEBEE, GEORGE F. JACKSON, AND RALPH A. GLEAsON, orDA'LT'nrOnn,

MARYLAND, AssiONOBs 'ro sOUrHEnNoAN COMPANY, or DAL'rnlOaE, KABY- LAND,A CORPORATION Or MARYLAND. I

nEcnrTAcL'E-FEEDING v I specification of Letten retest. Patented Feb.l10', 1920.

Application led August 14, 1917, Serial No. 186,18?. Renewed OctoberV7., 1819. vSerial lo, 89,145.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that we, EDGAR R. Iwnimn,

(iniciada F; JACKSON, and RALPH A.- G LnA soN, citizensof the' UnitedStates, and residents of Baltimore, Maryland, have invented certain newand useful Improvements m I Receptacle-Feeding Mechanism, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This application in part comprises subject matter like that contained inan application led by us January 19,1917, #143,364.

Our invention concerns thev feedin of receptacles, such as can bodies orthe l1 e to machines, which areto act thereupon, and.

one object vof the invention is to provide a feeding means which willengage the can bodies one after the other, 'and will move them with anaccelerating speed from the station Wherethe en agement of the feedingmeans therewith'ta es place to a point of discharge, the can bodiesbeing properly re` 'spaced at the point OfdiScharge, so that they may beacted upon by the machine in proper time.

l I Fi 4 is a vertical sectionalview of The invention lconsists in the4features and combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter describedand particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings;

Figure 1 is a plan view of the feeding mechanism and this view alsoincludes a portion of the machine to which the 'can bodies are fed.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view'of Fig'. 1.V

Fig. 3 is a plan view ofa modification,

modi cation.

The apparatus includesa series of travelcan bodies of the series beingfed. The 'arms' 1 are adapted to. swing 'about vertical ivots 2, whichconnect the said arms with t e rotating head or disk 3,A the pivotsconsisting of rods .4, suitably journaled in .the upper ange 5, and thelower bearing 6 of this head or disk and said arms carrying at theirouter ends fingers 7, which are pivotall'y mounted ing arms 1, forengagingthe can bodies at a station A and delivering"V them at anotherlat the upper outer extremities of the arms 1,

as shown at 8, these -fingers being in the form. of weights dependingVfrom the ivots and having upwardly curved lower ges, as at on therotary disk and they are propelled with the said disk Aby means of thefingers`9 engagin the can bodies and pushing them vin the irectionof'the arrowc shown in Fig. 1. The can bodies may be delivered ontothehead or disk 3 in any suitable way but we prefer to employ an initialdisk or feeding member 10, which receives the cans direct'froin asuitable exhaust box or conveyer. Guides 11 and 12, associated with thelnitial feed disk 10, serve to direct the cans, as indicated by thearrow b and as the initial disk 10 overlaps the head or disk 3 the canbodies moving in the direction of the arrow and directed by the guideswill be delivered between the arms or fingers 9 to be prov '-lingfingers but should a propelling finger be in such a position' that a canbody will strike or press upon thefouter edge or end of' the finger 9,this finger, being as stated in the form of a pivoted member, will yieldand pass by this' paiticular can body and the next-oncoming finger willtake this pari ticular can body.` and propel it onward, said;

- can body in this movement being under the control of the guide 12 andresting upon the rotating spacing disk 3.

- -As above indicated the movement 'of the can body. is accelerated orgradually increased from station A to mation B in the direction ofthearrow. a, so: that in the case of filledcan bodies the movementimparted thereto byits propelling finger will beslow at first in orderto avoid spillin the contents which would result from a su den impulsearms in effecting this discharfe. The can bodies therefore will be takenfrom a cond1-' tion practically at rest at the station a proxilnatelyatA Where they ma be crow and preferably these lugs extend downthroughslots 15 in the disk or head 3. The

spider is mounted to` turn Vabout -a post. 16 held in a boss 17 of abracket 18 .forming part of the fixed frame. The spacing vd1s vor head 3is mounted to turnabout a pin or post 16., extending up from the bracketarm 16 forming a lateral extension of the post 16, and from thisconstruction it will be seen that'the spacing disk or head 3 and thespider are eccentrically arranged in relation to each other, their pivotor journal posts 16 and 16 being displaced in relation to each other outof axial alinement. The spider 13 is rotated b a worm wheel 19 from aworm 20 on a sha t 21, which is suitably journaled in the frame-work andis driven through any suitable means, such as the bevel gearingat 22.This same shaft 21 Ior an extension thereof drives the initial feed disk10 by a worm gear, indica-ted at 23,

It will be observed that the eccentric relation of the spider and thehead carryingthe propelling arms is such that at the receiving stationapproximating the' position A the stud 14 of the propelling arm. willengage the slot of the arm of the spider at a point close to the centerof the rotation of the spider, as indicated on the right of Figs. 1 and2, whereas at the discharge point approximating the position B the studof the arm`which has reached this discharge sta* tion will be'engaged bythe spider arm at the outer end thereof and of course at differentangular positions of the rotating head between the stationsA and B, thestuds 14 will be in engagement with the spider arms at pointsprogressing from the inner to the outer ends of the slots.

Obviously when lthe studs 14 are engaging the spider arms near theircenter of rotation the movement of these arms with their propelling.fingers 9 will be slow,

.gressively increased, thus effecting the respacing or graduallyincreasing se aration of the can bodies and increasing t e speed ofmovement of said 'can bodies,l so that at 70 the point of .dischargetheywill be respaced at proper distances apartto suit the movement orperiods of movement of the parts of the machine which are to act thereonand if the can bodies are to be propelled-by a part of the main machinethe speed ofthe can body when discharged from the respacf ing head anddelivered to this moving part of the machine will .accord with the s eedof said part, so that there will be no su den .i

acceleration of speed and no sudden impulse imparted to the can bodywhich would tend to spill the contents.

As an instance of means which may be associated with the feedingmechanism to receive the can bodies therefrom we show acontinuouslyrotating rin 24 havingdogs 25 projecting above the p ate orframe 26, said. frame being slotted at 27 to receive'- this dog ring.The can bodies are delivered onto the main frame 26 of the main machinein front of the traveling' dogs 25,

' which engage the` can bodies and propel them onward between the'guides 12 and 12 to stations at which suitable mechanism acts upon thecan bodies.

The head 3 will be kept in rotation because ofthe movement imparted-thereto from the spider C by way of the arms 1, this transmission ofpower being continuously exercised.

We donot limit ourselves to the construction shown and as anillustration of the variations that might be employed within the scopeof our invention. reference is made to Figs. 3 and 4. In these figuresthe propelling arms 1L are arranged to yield like the .o arms or fingers9 when a can body is not properly engaged thereby, but presses upon theend ofthe arm. For, this purpose the arms are slotted at 28 to receivetheir pivotpins 41. The head '3a carrying this pivot point is arrangedeccentricallyn relation to the spider 13a and instead of employingslotted arms, this spider carries supplemental arms 29 pivotallymountedat 30 to the are pivotally connected to the propelling larms 1aat points 31 intermediate of the length of said propelling arms. Thesupplemental arms have tail portions 29 connected by springs 32 vto thepreceding sulpplemental arm y29 at the point 33 intermediate ofthelength thereof, and from this construction it will be seen that as thespider rotates it will pull around with it the propelling arms 1Lthrough the medium of the supplemental arms 29. l

It will be observed that if a propelling arm strikes the can body end onor partly 13G end on insteadyof Aengagin the .can body with itslateral'face the sai propelling arm can yield radially'iinward -inrespect to the head or disk 3", t 's being spring 32, which holds tpermitted by the slotted construction at 28.-

The mounting of the rotary head and the spider is different in thismodification from t at firstdescribed, involving a member 34 mounted inthe .bracket 185,". said 'member havin a bearing at 35' for-thewormwheel 36, ich carries the hub 37 of the Spider and the rotaryspacing head beingearried by a center pin 38 mounted in the member 34.The rotary spacing head is slotted rat 39 topermit connection tov bemade between the supplemental varms 2 9'and the propelaturesrelatin tothe 24r having dogs 25, andthe s otted tableare made the subject ofanother application. v

What we claim is:

1. In combinatlon vvlth mechanism acting in conjunction with canbodies,means for feeding saidcan bodies comprising arms for respaclngthe can bodies as delivered thereto and for transporting them, a moving'support for said arms, andl means for movin sald arms continuously 1none direction, an

in succession giving them individually a progressively acceleratedmovement in'respect to and in the same direction with saidl support,from the point at which the'arms ta e the can to the point of dischargefrom the arms, said arms from the latter point to i spect tosaidrotary'carrier to more widelythe point of first en agement With thebodies,

having their vspee of movement reduced, substantially -as "described,

2. In combination with mechanism acting in conjunction with can bodies,means for feeding' said canbodies comprising a series of substantiallyradially disposed vfingers, a

rotary carrier for said iingers'an'd means for giving said fingers aprogressive increase of speed in the same direction with'andin'reseparate the bodies after-'theyhave enga ed vtherewith and untilthe bodies are' ischarged from the arms for properly spacing said.moving bodies, substantially 'as described.

3. In combination with mechanism acting in conjunction with can bodies,means for feeding can bodies comprising a rotary table onto which thecanbodies are delivered, and radially disposed fingers for engaging thecan bodies with means for revolving said table 'and xfingers about acommon center and for accelerating the movement of the fingers-progressively after engaging the bodies inthe same direction with andin relation to the said rotary table and until the can bodies aredelivered by said arms to respace the same progressively until they arermittedby the e supplemental arm 29y1e1dingly and 'also this actionisseparated at proper-distances apart' to delivered from the rotarytable, substantially as'described.- 'v l 14. In combination withmechanism' acting' in conjunction with can bodies, meansfor feeding canbodies comprising `-a series of rotary fingers, a rotary carriertherefor 0n which the f fingers arev pivotally mounted, ,sald fingers asa series 'rotating with said [carrier about a common center, and'meansfor' giving the fingers-individually and-successively' a .progressivelyaccelerated move.-y

ment in thesame direction with and in respect to the rotar carrier afterthey enga can' bodies an until they deliver the said can bodies forrespacing the bodies for their l' delivery, substantially as described.

g5.. 'In combination with mechanism acting in con'unction with canbodies,la carrier, a plurality of radially disposed' fingers ro# -tatingwith said carrier as a group, means for accelerating the movement ofsaid arms individually in the 'same direction with and in vrespect'tothe carrier for s vacing the can bodies, said fingers being yie dableradiallyunder pressure v fromv the can bodies to prevent damage tothe'can bodies, substantially as-described.

6. In combination with mechanism 'acting in conjunction with can bodies,a carrier, a plurality of radially disposed fingers rotating with saidcarrier as a group, means for 'accelerating the movement of said'a'rmsin-y 'dividually in the same-direction with and in respect to the'carrier-for spacing the can bodies, said fingers being yieldableradially under pressure from the can bodies to prevent damage to the canbodies, said carrier serving as transporting means for can bodies. 1

' 7. 4In combination with vmechanism acting.

" in conjunction with can bodies, a carrier, a

plurality of radially disposed fingers rotating with said carrier as agroup, means for'- in conjunction with can bodies, and feeding means forthe can bodiesv comprising tvvov rotary members arranged one above theother-.but with their axes eccentrically dis-v posed in relation to eachother, one of-said carriers havin a series of radially disposed fingerspivota ly mounted'thereon at their inner ends, and the other carrierhaving connection' with the fingers at points intermediate their pivo'tsand their outer ends,

whereby through a certain degree of angular movement the speed of thefingers 4willI be accelerated to rogressively separate the successivecan bo i'es relative to eachother as they are transported to the oint ofdelivery, substantially as describedl 9. In combination With mechanismacting in conjunction with can bodies, a carrier, a plurality ofpropelling fingers thereon to engage the can bodies while closetogether,

means for giving the fingers in succession a progressive y acceleratemovement 1n relation to and, in the same direction with the carrier toseparate the can bodies progres- A sively reater distances apart as theymove onwar, said fingers being yieldingly mounted to move therebypreventing damage to the can bodies when contacting end on therewith,substantially as described.

10. In combination with mechanism acting in conjunction with can-bodies,and

feeding means for vthe can bodies comprising whereby through a certaindegree of -angular movement the speed of the 'fingers will beaccelerated to progressively separate the successive can bodies relativeto each other as they are transported to the point of delivery, saidngers having their outer ends yielding mounted', substantiallyasdescribed.

11. In combination in receptacle feeding mechanism, a moving carrier, aseries of arms mounted thereon to be carried thereby,

- saidarms being pivotally mounted on said carrier to swing in ahorizontal plane, means for giving the arms an accelerated movement inrespect to and in the same direction as that of the moving1 carrier and-fingers pivotally mounted on t n ing movement automatically uponstriking a receptacle body, substantially as described.

- 12. In combination in receptacle feeding mechanism, carrier meansrotatingv about a vertical axis, arms mounted on sa1d`carrier means,fingers pivotally mounted at the outer ends of the said arms to movethereceptacle bodies along and to yield upon 'striking a receptaclebody, and means` for operating the carrier, said fingers turning a outAhorizontal pivots, substantiallyas described. v

13. In combination a carrier, means for rotating the carrier, fingersarranged radially in respect to the center of rotation to struc take andmove receptacles and pivoted to swin in vertical planes to yield uponbeing by the receptacles to bemoved 'by said iin rs, and means forpresenting the receptac esin position to be taken by said lingers,substantially as described.

e arms to have yield- Y 14. In combination a rotary carrier, armspivotally mounted thereon to swing in relation to said carrier in ahorizontal plane, means for giving said arms an accelerated movementprogressively as they are moved by the carrier, fingers pivotall mountedon said arms to swing in vertica planes, said arms and fingers beingarranged substantially radially relative to the carrier, substantiallyas described.-

15. In combination a carrier, arms pivotally mounted on said carrier andextending substantially radially relative thereto, means for operatingthe arms to give them an accelerated movement in the same direction withand in respect to the carrier, `said I.

carrier being moved by the movement of said arms mounted thereon,substantially 'as described.

16. In combination a carrier rotating about an axis, receptaclepropelling arms pivotally mounted on the carrier to swing in ahorizontal plane, a member rotating below the carrier on an axiseccentric-,ally dlsposed in relation tothe axis of the carrier, saidmember having connection with the horizon-l tally movable arms to impartmotion thereto i and thereby impart motion to the carrier of said arms,substantially as described.

17. In combination a carrier, arms mounted thereon to swing in ahorizontal lane, weighted fingers. at .the outer ends o said armsturning about horizontal pivots thereon and extending substantiallyradially in respect to the carrier, means for rotating the carrier andarms and for giving the arms an accelerated movement in respect to andin the same direction with the carrier, sb-

stantially as described.'

18. In combination -a rotary carrier, arms tal plane relative to saidcarrier, a member arranged eccentric to the axis of the carrier andAhaving guides receiving projections from the pivoted arms for ropellingsaid arms, substantially as descri ed.

19.' In combination a rotary carrier, arms pivoted on the carrier toturn in a horizontal plane relative to said carrier, a member arrangedeccentric to the axis of the carrier and havin guides receivingprojections from the pivoted arms for 'propelling said arms, andyielding fingers at the outer ends of Said arms, substantially asdescribed.

20. In combination a rotary carrier, arms pivoted thereto to swing in' a,horizontal plane, said carrier being slotted and said Varms having pinsdepending through said otally mounted thereon to swing inv a horiroopivoted on the carrier to turn in a horizon-j umA maar :i

zontal plane relativel thereto, a member below the carrierv turna le onan axis eccentrieally disposed relative to the axis of the carrier, a4slip 'joint connection between said member and the arms to drive saidarms with an accelerated movement `from one point to another, a post onwhich said member turns, a post on which the carrier turns and a bracketconnecting the disalined posts', substantially as described.

22. In a. can body feeder, a plurality of lingers to engage the canbodies by the lateral sides of said ingers, a movable carrier for saidlingers, said fingers being yieldingly mounted to yield on striking acanbodyend on, and means for giving t e fingers an accelerated movement inthe same direction with and in respect to the movement of the carrier,substantially as described.

23. In a can body feeder, a plurality of arms, a carrier to which thearms are pivotally connected, means for giving the arms -an acceleratedmovement and fingers yieldingly mounted on the arms toyield on strikinga can body end on, substantially as described.

24. In combination, a table, means for pushing can bodies onto saidtable from the edge thereof inwardly, a series of arms traveling withtheir ends substantially along the plane of the vrtables edge, said armsbeing spaced apart to receive the can bodies between them and beingmounted to yield on striking a can body end on, and means aeceleratingthe speed of the fingers between the point of taking the can bodies andthe point of discharge to respace the can bodies substantially as'described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

EDGAR R. LOWEREE. GEORGE F. JACKSON. RALPH A. GLEASON.

